Combined fountain-pen rack and paper weight



Sept. 6, 1927. 1,641,829

W. -A. SHEAFFER ET AL COMBINED FOUNTAIN PEN RACK AND PAPER WEIGHT Filed Dec. 29. 1924 J/YI/ N70 My. @J

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Patented Sept. 6, 1927.-

" STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER A. snnnrrnn nn onnio n.

SHEAFFER, OF FORT. MADISON, IOWA.

, COMBINED FOUNTAIN-PEN BACK AND IPAZPER WEIGHT.

v Application filed December 29, 1924. Serial No. 758,539.

Our invention relates to fountain pen racks, and hasfor one of its ,objects'the provision of a pen holding device which will confine the pen point to 'aspace laden with moisture and thereby retain the pen point moist in readiness for use. I

A further object of the invention is the provision of a pen holding device which is adapted to hold a fountain pen in an ini clined position with the pen point suspended in a closed air' space.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a fountain pen rack which will prevent evaporation from the pen point and thereb keep the, ink on the pen point moist in rea iness for writing. V

A further object of the invention is the provision of a fountain pen rack with a susshoulder to co-operate with the taining inner pen holder adjacent the pen point to hold "the. latter out of contact with the bottom "of the rack and to close the space about the pen point and thereby retain the latter in a moist-laden atmosphere.

vision of a fountain pen rack closed at: its lower end and provided with a shoulder intermediate its ends and with walls adjacent the same to'receive the pen holder and sus- 3 pend the pen point in an enclosed air space out of contact with the bottom of the rack or the walls adjacent the bottom.

Another obj ectof the invention is the provision of a fountain pen rack mounted on a heavy portable base in aninclined position with receiving mouths to guidethe pen holder, into holding position, and providing such holder v with means for suspending the pen point in an air space without contacting with Ehe bottom or walls of such space and there- 3 mosphere while holding the pen holder in upright position. i

hereinafter, the novel features and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention are;

' illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification; and in which:

Fig.- 1 is a perspective view of a founto disclose underlyin Another object of the invention the pro enclose the pen point in moist-laden at- Other objects of the invention will appear tain pen, a pen holding receptacle and a heavy metal base for supporting the same, with the casing of the fountainpen cut away parts.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a pair of differently colored pens in a pair of pen holding receptacles mounted on a single ably made of heavy metal such as bronze or brass, and the tubular member 1 preferably comprises hard rubber. The metal base 4. will add suflicient weight to the .device so that it may also be used as a paper weight}. v

' As shown in nel-shaped mouth. The bell-shaped receiver 2 provides a comparatively large cylindrical opening,"into which a fountain pen 8 can easily be inserted without danger of injuring the point of the pen.

' "The construction of the device is clearly shown in Fig. 3(wherein the tubular memberv 1 is shown fittinginto' an inclined cylindrical'rec'ess 10 in thebase member 4. The tubular member or pen rack should be rigid- 1y connected to the base member {and is preferably detachably secured thereto by a screw 11; acylindrical recess 12 being pro .vided in the bottom side of the base member 4 havingits central axis concentric with the central axis of the recess 10. The screw 11, it will be seen, penetrates the narrow layer of metal 9 between the'uppei' opening 10 and the lower opening 12 and extends into the bottom 20 of the tubular member 1. The opening 12 provides a space for the head 18 of the screw 11 so that the entire screw may be hidden by means of a "felt pad 14, which is glued tothe bottom off'thebase 4. The pad 14 provides a nongabra'sive .sur-

I Fig. 3. the receiving end 2 of I "the tubular member 1 is flared outwardly at the'upper end 3 to form an elongated funface upon which the device may rest with out scratching or marring the table or desk supporting it.

In Fig. 2 is shown a pair of tubular fountain pen racks 1, 1, mounted on a single supporting base 4 of heavy metal with differently colored fountain pens in the racks. 21

This particular construction is advantageous when it is desired to use different colored inks. The pen 15 is provided at its upper end with a red cap 17, while the pen 16 is entirely black including the elongated cap portion 18, each cap designating the color of the ink in the respective fountain pens. Any number of tubular members may be mounted on a single base and each may be used to hold a fountain pen at a conveniently inclined angle and each may be of any desired color to correspond with the co or of the ink used in the respective fountain pen.

Each fountain en rack is provided with a cylindrical cham er extending downwardly from the flaring or bell-shaped mouth 3, but

' the lower end portion of such chamber is of reduced diameter to afford a beveled shoulder 22. The lowermost space 21 of reduced diameter extends from the bottom of the tubular member 1 a distance slightly greater than the length of the pin 29 as shown in Fi 3. The shoulder 22 is at the uppermost en of the chamber section 21 where a larger adjoining chamber section 23 commences. The cylindrical section 23 is slightly larger in diameter than the section 21 and is adapted to freely receive the lowermost portion 31 of the fountain pen 8. That is to say, the body portion 31 of the fountain pen is adapted to fit closely into a cylindrical portion 23 of the pen rack so as to hold the pen point 38 out of contact with the walls of the space As shown in Fig. 3, the circular end 27 of the body of the fountain pen 8 abuts against the beveled shoulder 22 and maintains the point 28 of the pen 29 apart from the bottom 20 of the tubular member 1, so that the pen 29 cannot possibly be injured even though the fountain en is roughly inserted into t e tubular mem er 1. The beveled shoulder 22 is inclined at an angle so that the pen 29 will slide thereover without damaging the point of the same. The large flaring mouth 3 at the upper end of the pen rack provides an easily accessible entrance to the receptacle and guides the fountain en to a position concentric with the inner member and affords additional protection for the pen 29 in the event that the pen is not inserted directly into the section 23. Furthermore, as above explained, the beveled shoulder 22 if engaged by the point of the pen will assist in uiding the entire pen holder to its proper position in the pen rack.

it should be understood that the end 27 of the body of the fountain pen 8 reclines upon the shoulder 22 in such a manner as to substantially seal the cylindrical section 21, both from the cylin rical portion 23 and from the atmosphere. This seal is sufliciently air tight to confine the air in the section When a fountain pen is in place in the pen rack as shown in the drawings the pen is inclined downwardly and hence the ink in the fountain pen flows to the point, and evaporation therefrom in the enclosed space keeps the point. thereof continually moist. The fountain pen is of such a type thatink will not drop therefrom into the chamber 21 when supported on the rack shoulder and therefore there will he no accumulation of ink in the closed bottom. The pen may be withdrawn from the receptacle and used immediately without requiring any preliminary shaking or manipulation of the fountain pen to start the ink from the pen point. The small amount of air in the sealed section 21 soon becomes sufficiently saturated with moisture to prevent the ink from drying or thickening even though the inclined position causes the ink to flow to the open end of the fountain en.

In the rawings the type of fountain pen disclosed is that shown in the Sheafi'er Patent No. 1,118,240, granted Nov. 14, 1914, for an improvement in attachment for fountain pens, with the addition of the elongated cap extensions 17 or 18, which me be integral with the body portions of the fbuntain pens or rigidly connected thereto. We prefer such elongated capped fountain pens for paper weight pen rack desk sets because of the convenience afforded in withdrawing and inserting the fountain pens and in usin the same, due to the desirable balance 0% weight of the fountain pens. However, the pen racks are also adapted to receive and support such us as those shown in said patent when t e hollow cap is on that end of the pen holder remote from the pen point. The pen racks are also adapted to receive various types of fountain pens, the shoulder 22 having sufiicient area to adapt the same to receive pen holders of various diameters and the advantages heretofore pointed out will be obtained but it is preferred to use fountain pens of such size that the pen points will be held out of contact with the walls of the space 21. It should be understood, however, that the pen rack shown is not intended to be used at any time as an ink well because the chamber 21 is adapted to be used only as an air space, but if it should happen that a fountain pen is not operating properly and ink should drip from the pen point it will be received at the bottom of the chamber 21 without extending even to the pad 14, and may easily be cleaned out of the bottom of the chamber 21. Furthermore, while the pen the racksdisclosed are particularly adapted for desk or counter use in connection with fountain'pens, they may have general application in connection with various kinds of pen holders.

The preferred type of fountain pen is shown in Fig. 1, wherein an outer casing or barrel 30 of a fountain pen is cut awayto disclose underlying parts. A pen holder section 31 having an elastic ink sack or reservoir 32 is disposed in the open end of the "barrel 30. The casing or barrel 30 is provided near its outer or rear end with a lonor presser bar 37 is disposed beneath the spring arm 33 and secured at one end thereto.

The inner end of the operating lever 34 passes, through the slot 36 in the spring arm 33 and engages the upper surface of the presser bar 37. When the outer end ofthe operating lever is lifted from its osition in the slot 35 in the barrel 30 the ot er end of the lever forces the presser bar 37 inwardly against the elastic sack 32. The pressure upon the elastic ink reservoir causes the fluid contained therein to be discharged at the end of the pen holder section 31, and when said pressure is released the elastic ink reservoir tends to resume its original shape and position, thus causing a vacuum which drawsany fiuid in which the pen 29 is immersed into the ink reservoir 32.

The operating lever 34 is held in its fully open position by means of the springact-rng on said bar and this action takes place independently of said reservoir. This spring also 'acts to hold the operating lever in its fully closed position in the spot flush with the surface of the barrel and this action is also independent of the reservoir. Therefore, as soon as the operating lever is released the spring snaps'. to closed position independently of the reservoir, leaving the latter free to expand and draw in ink from an ink well when the pen is dipped therein during such release of the o erating lever.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention defined by the claims hereto appended,'and it is therefore not desired to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus fully described and shown an embodiment of the invention, what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1-. A holder for fountain pens comprising a tubular member having an outwardly flanged upper portion and a cylindrical chamber therein, said chamber having an internal shoulder for supporting and substantially sealing apart from the atmosphere the writing point of said fountain pen, a base member having an inclined slot therein for supporting said tubular member in inclined position, and means for securing said tubular member on said base.

2. A holder for fountain pens comprising a tubular member having a cylindrical chamber and an internal shoulder for supporting and substantially sealing apart from the atmosphere the writing point of said fountain pen, a base having an inclined opening extending from the top surface thereof and a substantial distance thereinto for supporting said tubular member in an inclined position, and a screw extending through said base and into the bottom of said tubular member.

3. A holder for fountainpens comprisin a tubular member having a cylindrica chamber and an internal shoulder for supporting and substantially sealing apart from the atmosphere the writing point of said fountain pen, a base for supporting said tubular member, said base being provided on its upper surface with an inclined opening for receiving said tubular member, and an opening on t e bottom side thereof having its central axis common with the central arms of said upper opening, said openings being terminated apart from each other, and a screw penetrating the material between said openings for securing said tubular memher in place. i

4. A holder for fountain pens comprisin a tubular member having a cylindrica chamber and an internal shoulder for supporting and substantially sealing apart from the atmosphere the writing point of said fountain pen, a base for supporting said tubular member, said base having a recess therein, and a screw member in said recess 1flor securing said tubular member to said ase.

5. A holder for fountain pens comprising atubular member having a cylindrical chamber and an internal shoulder for supporting and substantially sealing apart from the atmosphere the writing point of said fountain pen, a base for supporting said tubular member, said base being provided on its upper surface with an opening for receiving and supporting said tubular memchamber and an internal shoulder for supporting and substantially sealing apart from the atmosphere the writing point of said.

fountain pen, a base for supporting said a tubular member, said base being provided on its upper surface with an opening for receiving said tubular member and an opening on the bottom side thereof having its central axis common with the central axis 10 of said upper opening, said openings being terminated apart from each other, and a. screw member penetrating the material be-"' tween said openings for securing said tubu lar member in place. I

In testimony whereof we have signed our 16 names to this specification on this 26th day of December, A. D. 1924.

CRAIG R. SHEAFFER. WALTER A. SHEAFFER. 

